President Barack Obama visited the Portland Convention Center on Wednesday night to lend his support to former governor John Kitzhaber, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. The event marked Obama’s first stop on a four-day West Coast campaign trail.
A crowd of more than 8,500 people gathered at the Center to rally behind Kitzhaber, who is running against Republican candidate Chris Dudley.
By 4 p.m., long lines had already formed, and the Portland Police Bureau was on hand to block off traffic on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
A group of about 100 Tea Party protestors with signs stood across the street from the crowd of Kitzhaber supporters, but were drowned out by the noise.
“Now, I’d like to believe that all of you showed up this evening to chat with me,” Kitzhaber said to cheers and laughter. “But I’m pretty sure that you’re here, like I am, to meet [the president].”
Kitzhaber wore his signature blue jeans, a suit jacket and boots.
At the rally, Kitzhaber took a cue from the commander-in-chief’s successful campaign in 2008, telling voters that this election is about reaffirming the change they voted on two years ago.
In his speech, Kitzhaber summarized some of the key campaign issues he stands for, which include protecting the environment, female reproductive rights and fighting against special interests.
Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, as well as Representatives David Wu and Earl Blumenauer, shared the stage with Kitzhaber prior to the president’s speech.
“I’m very proud that [the president] is here in Oregon to support our effort,” Kitzhaber said, before introducing Obama to loud applause.
Obama energized the crowd and officially took Kitzhaber under his wing. In his speech, he likened Kitzhaber’s campaign to his own 2008 presidential run.
“They said you can’t overcome the special interest…the big money,” Obama said. “But in two weeks, you have the chance to say ‘yes we can.'”
Humor was a component in Obama’s speech; he first said that this election should not be a difficult choice for Oregonians, which drew cheers and laughter. Next, he said that in the past, with Republicans in the “driver’s seat,” they drove the car into a ditch.
“It was muddy out there, there are bugs everywhere, so we gotta get that car out of there,” Obama said, likening Kitzhaber and the Democratic party’s task to pulling the metaphorical car out of the ditch. “Finally, we got this car back up…and the Republican said ‘Oregon, we want the key back.'”
“We gotta tell them, ‘You can’t have the key back, because you don’t know how to drive,'” Obama said. “The Republicans, they can come with us, but they’re going to have to sit in the back seat.”
Obama urged voters not to mind the smear campaign tactics of the other party.
“[Republicans are] hoping you’ll forget,” Obama said. “Portland, it is up to you to tell them we haven’t forgotten; we don’t have amnesia.”
He made sure to remind the crowd of the large deficit he inherited from the previous administration when he came into office.
Members of several organizations, including the Oregon State Firefighters Council, Naral Pro-Choice, the Oregon Student Association, the National Education Association Fund and the labor union AFL-CIO were on hand to support Kitzhaber.
At the rally, the president urged voters to turn in their ballots by Nov. 2. ?